Shloka 11

Matsya Purana — Omens in Tripura and the Nārada–Maya Dialogue on Dharma

Devanagari script

दृश्यन्ते भयदाः स्वप्ना भज्यन्ते च ध्वजाः परम् विना च वायुना केतुः पतते च तथा भुवि //

Transliteration

dṛśyante bhayadāḥ svapnā bhajyante ca dhvajāḥ param vinā ca vāyunā ketuḥ patate ca tathā bhuvi //

Translation

Frightening dreams are seen; banners and standards are utterly broken; and even without any wind, a ketu (comet/meteor) falls down upon the earth—these are supreme portents of fear.

Word by Word

• dṛśyante: are seen/appear

• bhaya-dāḥ: fear-giving, terror-causing

• svapnāḥ: dreams

• bhajyante: are broken, are shattered

• ca: and

• dhvajāḥ: banners, flags, royal standards

• param: exceedingly, utterly

• vinā: without

• vāyunā: by wind/air

• ketuḥ: comet, meteor, portent in the sky

• patate: falls

• ca: and

• tathā: likewise

• bhuvi: on the earth, upon the ground

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) conveying the Matsya Purāṇa’s discourse on royal omens (nimitta-śāstra) within the kingly-duty context

Entities Mentioned

• Ketu
• Dhvajāḥ (royal standards)

Tags

• Nimitta
• Śakuna
• Rājadharma
• Portents
• Dream-omens

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

It does not describe cosmic Pralaya directly; it lists calamity-portents (nimittas) that traditionally foreshadow upheaval—war, disaster, or widespread distress—within the human realm.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

For a king, such signs demand heightened vigilance: consult learned advisers, perform pacificatory rites (śānti), strengthen protection of subjects, and correct policy failures; for householders, it signals caution, prayer/ritual appeasement, and avoidance of risky ventures.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, these are inauspicious nimittas calling for śānti-karmas (appeasement rites). Architecturally, the breaking of dhvajas (standards) functions as a public-temple/royal-site omen—prompting re-consecration, inspection, and remedial rites to restore auspiciousness.